The US doesn't have VAT, there are state and sometimes county sales tax though. I think the highest those go is somewhere around 8 or 9% though. You should be able to search on google for the sales tax in the state you are going to. and also when you are looking at the price of something in the US sales tax is not included in the advertised price.

That's far from accurate; for example, Louisiana adds parish, town, city, levee district, school district, etc. sales taxes on top of the state 4%. I think at one time there was a city in the central part of the state with a 14% sales tax.

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